<VV> Re: The Next Generation, Corvairs & driving them

[Mike Kost]

I am a second generation Corvair owner (my dad bought a `61 Monza in 
about `62 or `63 which he traded on a new `66 4-door which I still have) 
who is raising a 3rd generation Corvair owner. The first car I drove 
regularly was the `66 when I got my license in `71. The first car I 
owned was a `65 Monza (which I wish I still had) and the first car I 
bought with my own money was a `68 Monza 140/4 with posi and quick 
steering. Many of you have seen this one (maroon) at numerous CORSA 
conventions including towing it from St. Louis to Ontario, CA. I have 
won the CORSA autocross at every convention I attended except Syracuse 
(Seth in a borrowed car) and KC (Bert Swift). The only reason I trailer 
my car to conventions is so that I can easily take the whole family and 
still be secure in the knowledge that if I break something going all out 
(only way I know to do it) we will still get home or maybe help someone 
else get home (Robert, Tim ;-)).

My oldest went to his first convention when he was 2 months old (Grand 
Rapids). Just before he turned 16 he bought with his own money, a `66 
500 95/auto (lots of rust) from one of our elder club members. This kept 
him in transportation for the next 4 years. Last summer he bought a `65 
Corsa from another of our club members and spent the next 6 months 
getting it ready to drive (College student with almost no money). At 2 
of the 3 conventions he attended with me since turning 16 he ran the 
autocross and placed in the top 5. He is working on a Mechanical 
Engineering degree so working on his own Corvair is good experience. 
Just this week he put together a posi for his car from parts I had in 
the basement with only a little supervision from me.

Mike Kost
SMCC & CORSA since 1980

Mike Ioanes wrote:
> I have been on the list a while, so if you've heard (read) this 
> before, forgive me.
>
> My first car, in 1970,  was a 63 Monza, 80 hp(?)/PG.  It had a 
> sprayed-on vinyl top, a fresh paint job, and "flintstone" 
> floorboards.  Not exactly a high-perfomance car, but a lot of fun to 
> drive on twisty, hilly roads.  A few years later, between VW vans, I 
> had a 65 Greenbrier.
>
> As Cliff says, fast forward to 1997...I was "sort of" looking for an 
> older, collector type of vehicle when my 64 Monza convertible passed 
> me in a Walmart parking lot, with a "For Sale" in the window.  I 
> chased it down, talked to the owner, and made a deal.  After owning it 
> for a few months, I found about the Dayton Corvair Club, CORSA, and 
> VV, in that order
>
> Like Cliff, I choose not to put "historic vehicle" plates on my 
> Corvair so I can legally drive it whenever and wherever I want.  The 
> ante is a little steeper, about $50 a year on this side of the river 
> (Ohio) but worth it to me.
>
> I have been to all the Eastern and Central Div. conventions since 98, 
> the 'Vair has been to one (Lexington)
>
> Mike Ioanes